As part of the Professional Skills Course, at least 24 hours of training must come from delegate-chosen elective courses. The primary objective of the electives is the development of, and the opportunity to practice, a trainee's professional skills. With this in mind, Datalaw's elective courses are developed under the categories 'Building on the Core', 'Career Development' and 'Personal/Professional Development'.
Electives should be relevant to the needs of trainees and their employers. Although you may already be sure of the area of law you wish to specialise in, to exclusively undertake substantive law courses in one area would not be the best choice for your PSC electives. The Professional Skills Course is your opportunity to build upon skills acquired during the LPC and complement your training contract. Getting the broadest range of training as possible will benefit you long into your law career.
At least 12 hours of your elective courses can be undertaken via distance learning. This gives trainees an opportunity to fit training around other work commitments and take on a course in bite sized chunks at a suitable pace.
When choosing which elective courses are the best for you, take the time to read through the description of each course, ask colleagues what they found beneficial and talk to your supervisor. Our Research and Course Development Manager is always available to advise on the content and level of our electives and will be happy to provide any guidance needed.
Before stressing too much over which elective topics to pick, remember that the core modules should be completed first, and attendance on these may help you to identify which skills you'd like to develop further.